A childhood rite of passage, doll’s houses have been played with and enjoyed by children for centuries and with good reason.
Providing open-ended and imaginative play, a good quality dolls house can allow your children to role play and replicate real-life behaviours, developing their social skills and creativity as they act out scenes, move around furniture and use their imagination to bring their stories to life.
Dolls houses not only offer significant educational benefits, but they can also make a great long-term investment too - a toy that can be passed down to future generations and enjoyed for many years to come.
There are loads of dollhouses to choose from, from traditional wooden designs to more contemporary mansions and portable playsets. With so much variety and with prices varying significantly, it can be hard to know where to start when choosing the right option for your child.
Over the last month, we’ve tried and tested a wide range of dolls houses and really put them through their paces, considering everything from build quality, design and aesthetic, to ease of assembly, included accessories, unique features and value for money. We’ve whittled down the list to the best 11 dolls houses you can buy today, with options to suit every budget, style and home setting.
Which dolls house is best for my child?
Here are some things to consider when making the right choice for you and your family:
- Doll size - What size dolls does your child want to play with? Some traditional dolls houses are suited to smaller ‘peg’ sized dolls, whereas other larger sets can accommodate modern fashion dolls or even larger 12-inch dolls.
- Material - Do you prefer a more traditional wooden dolls house or are you happy to have a plastic alternative? Wooden doll houses are the more sustainable/eco-friendly choice and tend to be more conventional in design, however, the brighter colours and interactive elements found in a plastic dolls house can be really appealing to children.
- Dimensions - What size dolls house is suitable for your home? Is the dolls house for one child or for siblings to share and play with together? Compact play sets are ideal for small bedrooms and independent play, whereas larger, more substantial dolls houses are ideal for sharing, allowing your children to stand up and play across multiple floors. Consider the space you have available and check the dimensions carefully, as some doll houses are really significant in size.
- Portability - Is the dolls house going to remain in a fixed location inside your home or do you want to move it around between rooms or even take it outside of the home? Some small dolls houses include carrying handles for portability, whereas others are far larger and heavier.
- Assembly required - Does the dolls house require assembly before use? Some designs have pieces that slot together relatively easily, whilst others require some substantial construction, whether that’s clicking in the individual pieces or using tools such as allen keys and screwdrivers. If you’re buying a dolls house as a gift, you may want to assemble the product in advance so that it’s ready to be played with straight away.
- Dolls/accessories included - Whilst some dolls houses come with furniture and dolls included, many don’t, so it’s important to factor in the cost of the room sets or individual dolls when making your choice. The cost of buying separately can soon add up, so products that have even a small selection included tend to offer better value for money.
- Interactive features - Does the dolls house have any unique features such as a working lift, lights, sounds or converting floors? Interactive elements can certainly help spark your child’s interest, however, don’t underestimate the power of a blank canvas doll’s house that allows them to use their imagination.
- Cost - Last but by no means least, how much are you willing to spend? The price of a dolls house can vary quite considerably, ranging between around £35 to £200.
With this in mind, here are the ES Best recommendations on the best doll’s houses to buy in 2023.
Best dolls houses at a glance:
- Best overall: Little Dutch Doll’s House - £98, Scandiborn
- Best for a budget option: IKEA Flisat Dolls House - £35, IKEA
- Most portable: Playmobil Take Along Modern Doll House - £29.99, Amazon
- Best small: Tender Leaf Toys Rosewood Cottage - £90, Kidly
- Best wooden: Le Toy Van - £129.94, Amazon
- Best build you own: LEGO Friends Autumn’s Dolls House - £60, Argos
- Best character: Gabby’s Dollhouse - £69.99, Amazon
- Best large: Playmobil Large Dollhouse - £134.99, Amazon
- Best with accessories: Rainbow High 3-Storey Wooden Doll House - £169.99, Very
- Best giant: LOL House of Surprises - £179.99, Very
- Best for small characters: Sylvanian Families Red Roof Country Home - £79.99, Amazon
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Little Dutch Doll’s House
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 57L x 43W x 24.5D cm
Age: 3 years+
A classic and traditional wooden design, the Little Dutch Doll’s House has a beautifully muted colour palette that will perfectly complement your child’s bedroom aesthetic.
With opening and closing door and window shutters and a removable roof that can be flipped to create a garden space, this classic dolls house is quick and straightforward to assemble with wooden pieces that simply slot together - an undaunting task for even the most reluctant of flat pack parents. Whilst the lack of screws means it’s not as robust as some such as the Le Toy Van model below, we love that this dolls house can be easily taken apart and packed away flat if you temporarily need the space.
The house comes with a significant 25 pieces of furniture and accessories, all made from sturdy beechwood including a table and chairs, bath, toilet, sink, sofa and pillow pads - there’s even a TV and fishbowl! Whilst there are no dolls included, the compatible peg dolls are available with the other Little Dutch room sets (sold separately) and with the choice of a nursery, kitchen and children’s room to complement the set, they’re likely to want to collect them all.
We love the reusable stickers that allow your child can add a personal touch and decorate the house both inside and out. There’s no bed included with the set, however, and given how frequently children replicate bedtime during play, you may want to factor in the cost of at least one additional room set.
Pros
- Traditional design with a muted colour palette
- Straightforward to assemble and disassemble as required
- Wide variety of furniture and accessories included
- Stickers for personalisation
- The double-sided roof can be removed and used as a garden space
Cons
- Not as robust as wooden dolls houses that are screwed together
- No bed is included in the furniture set (sold separately).
Buy now £104.95, Scandiborn
Playmobil Take Along Modern Doll House
Material: Plastic
Dimensions: 26.5 x 24 x 27 cm, open: 52 x 12 x 27 cm
Weight: 1197g
Age: 4 years +
If you’ve been put off by the pure scale of some dollhouses, the Playmobil Take Along Modern Doll House is certainly worth considering. This portable doll house with a carry handle opens up to reveal two floors, four rooms, furniture and loads of accessories hidden inside, before folding back up ready to take along on your child’s adventures.
The Playmobil Take Along Modern Doll House comes pre-assembled (a huge plus point when compared to some of the larger Playmobil houses) and has scenes on the back wall to help bring each room setting to life.
There are three characters and a wide range of kitchen, bedroom and living room furniture included, simply slotting together or needing the addition of stickers. We love the attention to detail, from the moving toilet roll holder to a shiny bathroom mirror and even a miniature hair dryer.
We love that all the contents can be stashed away inside, but unlike the larger Playmobil sets, there are no small drawers or cupboards built into the furniture, which would have been a helpful addition for storing some of the smaller accessories. It’s also somewhat impossible to fold up the house without messing up your arrangement, however rearranging the furniture is all part of the fun.
Overall, a playful and portable ready-to-play dolls house, which is ideal for visiting family or for those who are more limited on space.
Pros
- Portable and easy to carry
- Ideal for smaller bedroom settings
- Furniture and three characters included
- House can store all furniture inside
Cons
- Less storage inside the individual furniture pieces than in larger Playmobil sets
- Dormer windows on the top floor limit the amount of play space
- Furniture will require rearranging every time your child opens the house.
Buy now £29.99, Amazon
Tender Leaf Toys Rosewood Cottage
Material: Reclaimed rubberwood
Dimensions: 21 x 22 x 18 cm
Age: 3 years+
Whilst it certainly doesn’t come cheap, we absolutely adore the whimsical and fairy-like design of the Tender Lead Toys Rosewood Cottage. Made from sustainable rubber wood and responsibly sourced plywood, it makes an ethical and eco-friendly choice and a unique toy for your child’s nursery or bedroom.
Small and compact with an integrated rope carry handle, this rose-coloured cottage looks like something straight out of The Enchanted Wood.
Your children will love open throwing open the cottage doors or unclipping the entire back wall to reveal the family nestled inside, including Bud, Corny, Mummy Flora and Daddy Joey, cute wooden peg characters with their names printed on the base. The wall can be flipped over once removed to create an additional garden scene, using the wooden flowers, toadstools and pretty garden swing accessories to decorate and expand the playset.
There’s plenty of wooden furniture included too, from the wood burner stove to the flower-shaped table and chairs - there’s even a cosy fabric ‘leaf’ sleeping bag to tuck Bud or Corny safely into bed.
Our only critique - it took us a while to find the perfect size screwdriver for the tiny screws on this set, which made assembly a little harder than it needed to be. Despite its small size, however, this is a dolls house that our testers have gone back to play with time and time again.
Pros
- Adorable enchanted meadow-style design
- Characters and furniture included
- Carry along handle
- Compact size ideal for small spaces
- Sustainable materials
Cons
- Costly
- Small screw heads
Buy now £90.00, KIDLY
Le Toy Van Bay Tree House
Material: FSC®-certified wood
Dimensions: 61 x 35 x 67cm
Age: 3 years+
Le Toy Van has an excellent reputation for creating high-quality wooden toys, and Bay Tree House is no exception. A traditional style three-story dolls house made from sustainable FSC-certified wood painted in pastel shades of pink white and grey, it’s slightly larger than the Little Dutch Wooden Dolls House above and ideal for siblings to share.
Featuring opening and closing shutters and doors and natural wood floors throughout, the roof lifts away to reveal an additional spacious attic room, whilst a central staircase can be used to move dolls from the top to the bottom rooms as required. We love the rotating circular porthole window and wooden window baskets that decorate the exterior. There’s also a handy magnetic clasp front panel, which allows the entire front wall to be opened wide, creating plenty of additional space to play.
Assembly is straightforward, unwrapping the tissue-protected wooden slats and slotting them together, before securing using the screws provided. Once assembled, it’s a sturdy and well-made house that is sure to stand the test of time.
There’s no furniture included with this dolls house, however, Le Toy Van has a wide selection of coordinating wooden furniture, dolls and accessories to buy separately. Whilst it’s fair to say you get what you pay for, they retail at around £25 per room, making it quite an investment to furnish the whole house.
Overall, Bay Tree House is a robust, well made and sustainable choice - the kind of dolls house that is sure to be passed on to future generations.
Pros
- Big enough for siblings and friends to share
- The roof lifts off to reveal the attic room
- Made from sustainable FSC-certified wood
- Robust, high-quality build
Cons
- No furniture or dolls are included and could cost another £100+ to furnish the entire house.
Buy now £129.94, Amazon
LEGO Friends Autumn’s Doll House
Material: Plastic
Dimensions: 23 x 30 x 9 cm
Age: 7 years+
LEGO Friends, one of LEGO’s most popular playsets, has recently entered a new chapter for the next generation of brick lovers. They now include new colours (less pink and purple) and a range of eight new diverse characters, each celebrating their individual differences and encouraging children to simply be themselves.
A great option for older children who may have outgrown the concept of a traditional doll’s house, the LEGO Friends Autumn’s House is great fun to make independently or with parents, using the 853 blocks to build from the floor up before creating hours of imaginative role play and stories.
We love the four new characters included with this set, in particular the inclusivity of Autumn’s disability. There are also two pets included; a dog and a horse, which are sure to go down well with animal lovers.
With six bags of bricks and easy-to-follow picture-based instructions, children aged 7 and above will love the detail on this two-story house with a side terrace. Whilst the rooms are compact, they offer 360-degree play from individual room settings, including a bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, living room and dining room, as well as an outdoor stable, fire pit and balcony. From placing the textured bricks on the steps to stocking the kitchen with baking ingredients and adding individual floor tiles by hand, this set took around three hours to build, with some fiddly little stickers in parts.
Pros
- Combination of construction and imaginative play
- Great new diverse LEGO characters
- 360-degree play with great attention to detail
- Variety of room settings for stories and role play
Cons
- Rooms are fairly compact and bits can break off during play
- Your child may need help to get the stickers straight as these can be a bit fiddly.
Buy now £57.19, Argos
Gabby’s Doll House
Material: Plastic
Dimensions: 56.21 x 13.67 x 43.18 cm
Age: 3 years+
If you’re not familiar with the hit TV show Gabby’s Dollhouse yet, then seriously, where have you been? This hugely popular series features a young girl called Gabby who uses a pair of magical cat ears to shrink down into a doll house for fun adventures with her friends.
One of the must-have toys for Christmas 2022, the Purrfect Dreamhouse doll’s house remains high on children’s wishlists, looking just like the one from the show.
Measuring around 60cm tall with six rooms and an attic, the set comes with two characters - Gabby and Pandy Paws included, as well as eight furniture pieces and two surprise deliveries.
Whilst it’s a little stiff at first, children will love popping Gabby on the lift to move between floors, as well as shooting parcels down the delivery tower and then opening them up to reveal the contents. Deluxe rooms are sold separately and while the most committed Gabby fans are likely to want to expand their collection, this set serves as a great stand-alone doll house in its own right.
Made from plastic and cardboard, it is not as robust as some of the other dolls houses featured above and there could certainly be some improvements. It takes around 20 minutes to assemble and whilst the large pieces simply click together, the poles for the door hinges are somewhat thin and flimsy, which makes installing them a little on the nerve-wracking side. The house is recommended for children aged 3 and above, however younger children may be a bit heavy-handed for this set, causing cardboard backgrounds to drop out or floors to click out of place.
Despite these reservations, our testers loved Gabby’s Dollhouse, in particular the flipping table top which changes from breakfast to dinner, the rainbow poop in the toilet and the package delivery shoot. The large button on the base plays a selection of songs and sounds from the show including the theme tune and sound bites from Gabby herself - but be warned, the song is catchy, so you may find yourself miaowing on repeat.
Pros
- Just like the dolls house from the TV series
- Includes characters and furniture
- Fun sounds and music
- Substantial-size play set with a variety of room settings
Cons
- Plastic build quality could be better
- Costly
- Deluxe rooms are sold separately
- Batteries not included.
Buy now £79.99, Amazon
Playmobil Large Dollhouse
Material: Plastic
Dimensions: 35.99 x 61.98 x 68 cm
Age: 4 years+
Ready to scale things up a bit? If you’re looking for a larger-sized doll’s house, the Playmobil 70205 Large Dollhouse is just the ticket. With six rooms, a rooftop terrace and the potential to extend the house with the Floor Extension set (sold separately), there’s plenty of space for your children to get creative and act out even the most detailed of role plays.
With 592 pieces, it’s fair to say that the assembly is long and substantial (taking around 1.5 - two hours), so we recommend you build this dolls house in advance if your child is on the impatient side. Using small red connectors that are clipped into place before the pieces slot together, your legs are likely to go to sleep in the process, but we promise it’s worth the wait.
With a stylish exterior, stained glass window, wrought iron railings and large spiral staircases, this impressive dolls house even comes with a fully functional doorbell (batteries required), generously filled window baskets and a postbox for storing the mail.
There are two characters and a small selection of furniture and stickers included to get you started with the furnishing, however, other Playmobil Dollhouse room sets are sold separately. You may want to add a room at a time to control your overall spending.
Whilst it’s certainly not a budget choice, the Large Playmobil House is a detailed and engaging playset that can easily be passed down to future generations, offering a timeless design that creates literally hours of open-ended play.
If you love Playmobil but want a less modern design, the Large Victorian Dollhouse, whilst less widely available, makes a great alternative from the range, with an elegant and ornate style from days gone by.
Pros
- Larger-sized doll’s house
- Working doorbell
- Large enough for siblings to share
- A small amount of furniture and characters included
Cons
- Requires significant adult assembly
- The cost of room settings can add up, so you may want to factor this into the price when making your choice.
Buy now £134.99, Amazon
Rainbow High 3-Storey Wooden Doll House with 50 Accessories
Material: Wood (and plastic)
Dimensions: 91.4 x 30.4 x 121.9cm
Age: 6 years+
Whilst many dolls houses come without furniture or accessories, you certainly get your money’s worth with the Rainbow High 3-Story Wooden Doll House - as long as you’ve got space to accommodate its substantial size. Whilst the initial RRP may sound high, it offers excellent value, allowing you to furnish the entire three-story house without needing to purchase any additional extras.
Measuring over 1.2 metres high, this larger-sized ‘stand up and play’ style dolls house can accommodate a variety of Rainbow High or other 12-inch dolls (sold separately) with plenty of space to play. It comes with an impressive 50 pieces of furniture and accessories spanning all six rooms including a bed, bath and couch, as well as smaller storytelling tools such as laptops, coffee cups, clothing racks and silverware.
You’ll need to block out some significant time for assembly, with lots of heavy wooden pieces to screw together by hand, but the finished result is really impressive, with a bright and colourful modern interior that spans every colour of the rainbow. Don’t forget to peel off the helpful guidance letters from the panels as you assemble, as they’re hard to get off when the set is fully constructed.
Our testers loved carefully filling the hot tub with water before pressing to watch the fun bubble effects and the lift, whilst needing two hands to raise between floors, is a great additional feature. We also love the attention to detail on the furniture and accessories - from the spinning washing machine to the sparkle blanket and pillows - there are even branded drinks and cereal.
The Rainbow High 3-Story Wooden Dolls House is an engaging and entertaining set for those transitioning from smaller dolls, but you may want to have a bedroom clearout first.
Pros
- Sturdy three-story dolls house
- Includes over 50 pieces of furniture and accessories
- Brightly coloured, engaging design
- Working shower, sink and hot tub
Cons
- Heavy design that takes up significant space
- Requires significant assembly.
Buy now £169.99, Very
LOL House of Surprises
Material: Wood (and plastic)
Dimensions: 122 x 122 x 30cm
Age: 4 years+
By far the largest dolls house on our list, this statement design certainly lives up to its name, packed full of fun surprises that’ll have your kids going back to play with it time and time again.
Similar to the Rainbow High doll’s house above, assembling the LOL House of Surprises takes up a significant chunk of time so you’ll need to plan your carefully if buying it as a gift.
Measuring a positively ginormous 122cm tall and spanning not two, but four floors, the LOL House of Surprises has ten fully furnished bedrooms, including a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen living room, movie theatre, rooftop patio and more. Our six-year-old tester was able to stand fully upright and be at eye level with the top floor, meaning she could move her characters around the entire house, shifting between kneeling and standing as required.
As you would expect from the brand, this house is bright and colourful, with transforming furniture and plenty of interactive elements to spark your child’s imagination. Fancy mixing things up? Simply spin the walls 360 degrees to switch the scene and create a new space for your LOL dolls to explore.
There is plenty of plastic inside this set, which won’t be to everyone’s taste and the dolls are sold separately, so you may want to buy a selection to help kickstart their play. That said, we love the giant water slide which twirls around the exterior to land in the swimming pool below. Filling this with cold water is a great way to encourage those colour-changing LOL dolls (sold separately) to work their magic. Whilst our testers were a little confused it didn’t go all the way to the roof, the elevator was a fun way for the dolls to navigate between floors.
Pros
- Fully furnished dolls house with 10 rooms across four floors
- Transforming rooms thanks to rotating inner walls
- Large water slide
- Robust and durable build
Cons
- Lots of plastic furniture and accessories
- Whilst great for the kids, the scale may be off-putting for parents.
Buy now £179.99, Very
Sylvanian Families Red Roof Country Home
Material: Plastic
Dimensions: 60 x 23 x 35 cm
Age: 3 years+
Ok, we know that technically Sylvanian Families aren’t dolls, but our best dollhouses guide wouldn’t be complete without the addition of the Red Roof Country Home, which can be used with the adorable flocked Sylvanian characters or other small characters depending on your preferences.
With four spacious rooms and a large built-in staircase, the Red Roof Country Home can be opened up at a 90 or 180-degree angle, allowing flexibility of play, varying the layout and furnishings depending on your child’s preferences. You can even expand the set with the Red Roof Cosy Cottage to create a grand mansion, ideal if they’ve amassed quite the collection of characters.
The house comes partially assembled; making it relatively quick and easy to click the remaining panels into place. We love the inclusion of working lights (batteries required), which adds something unique to other dolls houses of a similar size.
The downside? There’s no furniture included with this playset, so you’re going to want at least a small Sylvanian starter pack to get you started. They’re also incredibly cute, so once introduced, you can expect their bunnies, pandas and squirrels to be quickly making their way onto the birthday and Christmas wishlists.
Pros
- Classic design from a beloved brand
- Working lights included
- Variety of room layouts (and the ability to expand the set)
Cons
- Costly
- No furniture or characters included.
Buy now £79.99, Amazon
IKEA FLISAT Dolls House
Material: Solid pine wood
Dimensions: 58 x 22 x 59cm
Age: 3 years+
If you’re looking for a doll house on a budget, the hybrid FLISAT doll’s house and storage shelf combined makes a practical and affordable choice.
Made from solid pine wood, this simple, no-frills wooden design can be used by your child as a playset on the floor, before mounting to the wall and transitioning to a bookshelf/storage shelf as your child grows.
Whilst the furniture isn’t included, IKEA has their own range of bedroom and living room dollhouse furniture which looks just like the products you can buy in-store (including the parent favourite KALLAX box unit).
Assembly is what you would expect from the home of flat pack, but the instructions are simple to follow and the required time is relatively short, using simple dowels and the included allen key (no screwdriver or additional tools needed). If you fancy yourself as a Pinterest parent, you can even work with your child to add paint or wallpaper to add a touch of colour to each room setting.
Pros
- Multipurpose doll house and shelf combined
- Straightforward assembly
- True to life IKEA dolls house furniture (sold separately)
Cons
- No furniture included
- Basic design
Buy now £35.00, IKEA
Verdict
It’s worth noting that when it comes to toys, the products that appeal to us grown-ups and the kids’ favourites aren’t always entirely in sync. Your choice of dolls house may also be determined by how much space you are willing to sacrifice and the price you’re willing to pay. For this reason, we’ve got two top picks for best doll’s house - our overall winner and our tiny tester’s favourite.
For a classic and traditional dolls house made from high quality, sustainable materials, the Little Dutch Dolls House makes our top pick thanks to its muted colour palette, range of included furniture and reusable stickers, which appealed just as much to us as it did to our children. It’s quick and easy to assemble and has an overall modern feel despite offering plenty of nostalgia for parents too.
If you’ve got the space, however, the Rainbow High 3-story wooden doll’s house couldn’t have been a bigger hit with our testers. With two children playing together for literally hours, this set has so much included for the price, with fully furnished rooms that allow storytelling and scene creation with friends. It is big? Very. Are you going to spend hours putting it together? Of course (unless you can get someone else to do it). But most importantly, will they love it? Yes. Without a doubt.
